Serologic and reproductive findings after a herpesvirus-1 abortion storm in goats

An abortion storm occurred in a goat herd, resulting in 75 aborted kids and 1 neonatal death from December 2004 to February 2005.

Aborted fetuses ranged from being premature to past term. Laboratory findings in 4 of 5 aborted fetuses were consistent with herpesvirus abortion. A virus that yielded positive results with a fluorescent antibody test for bovine herpesvirus-1 was isolated and identified as caprine herpesvirus-1 (CpHV-1) via DNA sequence analysis.

Many does that aborted were rebred for kidding in late summer. Most of the young wethers born in 2005 were sold; however, all of the young does were kept for breeding in fall. In November 2005, all 241 goats in the herd were tested for antibodies against CpHV-1 to identify goats that had seroconverted during the outbreak. No complications attributable to CpHV-1 were identified during kidding in 2006.

On the basis of serologic findings, infection with CpHV-1 was not associated with reduced reproductive success in the subsequent breeding.